In much of the world, there has long been a tradition of rewarding service workers personally, above and beyond established rates. The tradition of tipping originates in England, when guests who were invited to tea, stayed late and stayed overnight, left the hosts' servants a reward for service. In the modern world, tipping traditions vary. In Japan, for example, if you leave money on the table, the waiters will rush to catch up with you to return what you forgot. It will never occur to them that this is left for them.
Any person who comes to an unfamiliar place, at first, balances between two threatening embarrassments: being a redneck or a dude. This whole tradition is based not so much on an economic basis, but on a socio-psychological basis. According to surveys, more than 80% of respondents leave a tip, first of all, so as not to show themselves in a bad way in the eyes of others. In this article we will tell you how much it is customary to tip in Bulgaria: not only in restaurants, but also in taxis, hotels, as well as at gas stations and car washes.
Gas stations and car washes
Refuelers are very happy if they are given 50 stotinki. Some wash the glass (often leaving dirty smudges) - you can give 1 lev for your efforts. You can’t give too much either! I witnessed: the driver of a car with Russian license plates gave the gas station attendant 5 leva and, satisfied with his generosity, drove away. Two gas station attendants, without mincing words, laughed after him, rudely insulting... the most harmless epithet: “offshore”.
Naturally, you can give a tip at a car wash after finishing the work, because the quality of the work is not always satisfactory. When the price for the service is from 5 to 15 leva, it is quite worthy if, after paying at the cash register, give it to the senior washer (he is always visible) in hands 1-2 left. Considering that this is not particularly accepted in Bulgaria, gratitude and respect in return is quite obvious.
In Bulgaria, taxi drivers are a special caste of businessmen
Taxi
Taxi drivers are highly specialized specialists who use cars and transportation services not so much as their main income, but as access to clients. A taxi driver can easily offer services of repair, construction, broker for hiring or purchasing housing, translator, assistant in paperwork, tour guide, bodyguard and much more.
Bulgarian passengers, in the majority, either do not leave a tip at all, or (if less than half) round up by plus up to 1 lev. People from the Union republics living in Bulgaria, as a rule, leave 1-2 levs from above, which taxi drivers gratefully rejoice at. Distant foreigners, out of ignorance or their local habit, can thank you very generously, judging by Bulgarian standards, but this is a rare case. The Germans and the British, according to taxi drivers, for the most part count everything down to a stotinka and take all the change. And, from the same words, statistically, it is our compatriots who are consistently generous with tips, but this is most likely provocative psychology...
If you want a fresh towel, leave a coin
Hotels
Here, as elsewhere, the division is great. There are stars, network ones, who are obliged to keep the brand, but there are quite a few of them. Their guests are wealthy people who are accustomed to observing the traditions established in the segment, regardless of the country. When staying in a high-class hotel, it would be appropriate to leave 2-5 leva to the maid. The doorman's assistance in unloading things from the car is estimated at 1-2 leva. The receptionist who helps bring things to the room expects to receive the same amount. Most of the hotels are old, left over from social services. heritage. Tipping is not accepted there, and there is no reason to. There are boutique hotels, family hotels, mini hotels and other small fry. Not to mention hostels. Also, as a rule, no tip, since the service is very conditional.
Cafes and restaurants
First of all, it should be noted: there are very few establishments with professional staff. Lack of qualifications is the scourge of the Bulgarian service. Not everywhere! But in the majority. Firstly, qualified specialists strive to work where they pay. That means in Western Europe. Secondly, rare masters of their craft, a few, as a rule, are tied to a particular institution, are its unspoken, undeniable face and are rewarded more than other colleagues. But for such a situation, the establishment itself needs to be stable, and this is another Bulgarian problem.
After all, even if the name does not change, it is enough to change the chef unsuccessfully to quickly lose all the regulars. And good chefs, again, want to work where they pay. Hiring a good specialist is crazy money for Bulgaria. Raising prices means losing the flow of clients. You train newcomers, and they successfully find work in Germany or Switzerland and wave at you.
One of the main problems for restaurateurs in Bulgaria is staff.
The second scourge is the client’s solvency. Prices in establishments cannot be higher than people are willing to pay. If you overprice, the client will go to neighboring competitors. You can see quite clearly how establishments with a low pricing policy are full and charge more due to the flow and volume of product turnover than half-empty ones - claiming status and more expensive for the price tag. And, the most interesting thing - (continue reading)